Part II : The Crown of Power : Chapter 7 : § 3.4-7

Chapter 7 : The Sixth Star or Splendour of the Crown of Power of the MOTHER OF GOD

She rules and guides the Church

Continuing our translation of the 1845 reprint of Fr François Poiré's Triple Crown of the Mother of God (1643 French edition).

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac.(Poggi, 2020)

§ 3. The care taken by the MOTHER OF GOD in conserving and propagating the faith

She obtains for some the grace to work miracles

 4   Miracles are like seals affixed to doctrine to confirm it is sound, and they are the most compelling reasons left by the Saviour to His Church so that people will embrace the truth of the faith. Do you not believe that the Virgin would play a big role in obtaining this gift for the majority of those to whom it is granted from on high? Here is one example that I would like to share with you, namely what she obtained for the Blessed St Albert, who was an altogether remarkable person and a renowned preacher of the Carmelite Order. He performed countless miracles promoting the glory of God and devotion to the most sacred Virgin. Amongst other things, it is noteworthy that he never performed a miracle without invoking not only the name of Jesus but also that of Mary, from whom he had received this grace.

How she is opposed to the enemies of the Church

Her opposition to heretics

 5   It is true that faith can cause many strange movements of the heart, but it is also true that faith suffers violent attacks, like a ship in a raging tempest. You would think that the whole of hell was busy trying to prevent a tiny grain of mustard seed from being sown in the ground or allowed to take root. You would imagine that all the demons had no other plan then tearing out the roots, such is the hardship and hostility faced by those who are trying to sow the seed of faith. To their front they are faced with the pagans, behind them are the Jews and the Mohammedans, to their left the heretics and to their right the schismatics. Great God! How many obstacles they face and how would they ever be able to overcome them were they not powerfully helped and reinforced from Heaven? Accordingly, all the forces on high send their help, but especially the Virgin Mary whose role it is, as Queen and Ruler of the spiritual empire of her Son, to devote her energies to conserving it and extending it. As for the heretics, we shall be discussing them more fully in the next Chapter where I shall demonstrate how throughout history she has waged effective warfare against them. It is no misrepresentation of the truth for the Church to have granted her the glory of having beaten back and trampled under foot all the heresies that hell was to spew into the world, from the time the Saviour left her as His visible abode.

Her opposition to schismatics

 6   When it comes to the schismatics, alas! Who is there whose heart will not weep at the sight of Ethiopia, Egypt, Greece the greater part of Asia and Africa – so many great kingdoms and beautiful provinces which once served as nurseries for bringing on Saints and were like paradises for Religion but which have been turned into awful wildernesses by the long and dreadful schism that separated them from the Church? What better can we hope for in the future, unless the Protectress of the law and the Reparatrix of piety intervenes in a fitting and timely manner? But take courage, dear reader, and let your tears for a moment cease as I have news that will console you: for I can tell you that she has taken a hand in such a way that, since the time of the Apostles, it is possible that there has never been found a state better disposed to accept obedience to the true faith than the great empire of Ethiopia and, unless misfortune snuffs out our hopes, the whole extent of those lands cut off from the Church. 

With regard to this, I can say to you that around one hundred years ago King John II of Portugal began to negotiate friendship with the Emperor of the Abyssinians (named Alexander). Since then, there has been no letting up with regards to this plan to bring the vast and powerful empire under allegiance to the Holy See and to purge it of the various errors of Nestorius and Eutyches which have infected it, as well as several Jewish and Mohammedan superstitions. The Patriarchs and their companions sent by the Popes from the beginning to clear the ground so as to cultivate this great vine, watered it with so many tears and so many beads of perspiration, cultivating it with such labour over a period of years that in the end God had mercy on them. For it is now nearly twenty years since the Emperor currently reigning, named Sultan Sedegue[1], a great-hearted and valiant Prince, and his brother called Ras Zelachrist[2], viceroy of Goyama who is a veritable Constantine in terms of his piety and courage, rendered all the necessary submission and homage to the Vicar of Our Lord on earth. They cooperated with those sent by Heaven to help them (and with their Latin Patriarch) in a project for the complete conversion of their subjects. They displayed such zeal and fervour that they could be almost taken for new Apostles and I am in no doubt whatsoever that they will one day receive this title, if it pleases God to continue blessing their victories and conquests.

Footnotes

[1] Sedegue: This seems to be a reference to the Sultan Segued. Fr Lobo S.J. arrived in Abyssinia in 1624 and wrote an account of his mission to convert the people from a form of Christianity peculiar to themselves, to orthodox Catholicism. The Abyssinian Emperor Segued was protector of the enterprise. For more, see: Fr Lobo’s work: A Voyage to Abyssinia.

[2] Sometimes written as Ras-Zela-Christ, Ras: An Ethiopian leader or prince. Goyama appears to be a reference to Gomma, a kingdom within Ethiopia.

 7   Now, so that everyone may understand that this praiseworthy enterprise was initiated and undertaken under the favourable auspices of the MOTHER OF GOD, it should be noted that of all the traits of the ancient piety retained by the Abyssinians, there will scarcely be found one more prominent in their hearts and minds than devotion towards and trust in the Holy Virgin. This devotion was the root, so to speak, which would one day cause their first faith to bud forth and blossom anew. Such was undoubtedly the feeling of one of their Patriarchs called Gabriel who, in a letter that he wrote to Pope Clement VIII concerning the reunion of this empire with the Church, humbly entreated his divine majesty to grant them all the grace of one day being part of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, with no divisions or disunity – all this coming through the mediation of the glorious MOTHER OF GOD, their beloved and powerful Advocate. The Patriarchs and the Fathers of the Society of Jesus who were employed in this task (even to the point of dying there in misery and poverty) always made her, after God, their principal recourse. Some of their number merited the grace of being notified by her of the day of their death, and of seeing her before dying, as I will explain in another context[1].

The Patriarch Andrew of Oviedo was approached one day by representatives from various villages in the neighbourhood of his home. They urged him to intercede with God on their behalf so that he might deliver them from a scourge that He had sent them – a plague of locusts so numerous that they were breaking the branches of trees. No sooner had he entered into Church to recite the litany of the Blessed Virgin than they found on returning to their villages that all the locusts had died and were rotting away.

The Emperor and his brother had from the beginning cherished a dream of making the Holy Mother honoured everywhere alongside her most beloved Son and they had adopted her as their guide in all their plans. The following story will serve to illustrate their devotion. 

In the year 1621[2], a group of schismatic religious were spreading so many calumnies against our faith that several groups of them, particularly the warlike people of Damot who were much to be feared when under arms, and who had sworn to eradicate every Catholic from Ethiopia. They succeeded so well in their secret plans that in a short while they had put together a sizeable army which they planned to use in a surprise attack upon the Emperor, during the course of which they planned to murder Ras and the Jesuits with the utmost cruelty. They were however unable to keep their plans secret and the Viceroy caught wind of their intentions. When they realised their plot had been discovered, they unfurled their banners and immediately put into the field a large and powerful army. Ras Zela Christ was determined to mount a valiant defence against his foes and he prayed that his soldiers would be strengthened with heavenly weapons. Once he was satisfied that all was ready, he took an image of the blessed Virgin into his hands and, casting his eyes upon her with deep devotion, he addressed her in the sight of all his soldiers as follows:

“Dear Queen of Heaven and Earth, it is thy cause that we are defending against these thine enemies. We go happily to face death in order to uphold the glory of thy name. It is all the more in thine interest to grant us thy help on this day since it is a question of thy honour.”

Then, as though suddenly seized with a feeling of invincible hope, he turned to his men in cheerful confidence and said:

“Be of good heart, most valiant soldiers, for we have nothing to fear but rather we have every hope of a beautiful and glorious victory. If God and His Holy Mother are fighting on our side, which cannot be doubted, then no matter what our enemies do they will not be able to escape defeat.”

The soldiers were so inspired by these words that they began marching towards the enemy (this was the 26th of October), just as though they were on their way to a wedding. The battle swung back and forth but when in the end the schismatics saw they were losing, they turned and fled. This in turn roused the spirits of our own men and they slew more than two thousand of the enemy. Ras did not want to sanction the killing of so many people and so he gave the order to sound the recall, otherwise not one would have escaped alive.

Footnotes

[1] Part III, ch. 13.

[2] Ex litteris illius anni a P. Gaspare Ludovico.

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The Virgin of Tenderness. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen. 

 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

© Peter Bloor 2025

Part II : The Crown of Power : Chapter 7 : § 3.1-3

Chapter 7 : The Sixth Star or Splendour of the Crown of Power of the MOTHER OF GOD

She rules and guides the Church

Continuing our translation of the 1845 reprint of Fr François Poiré's Triple Crown of the Mother of God (1643 French edition).

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac.(Poggi, 2020)

§ 3. The care taken by the MOTHER OF GOD in conserving and propagating the faith

 1   Fundamental law is to the temporal sphere what true faith and right belief are to the spiritual kingdom of Jesus Christ – which is to say, the Church. This is why it is no wonder that the Virgin has always taken most particular care in conserving and spreading the faith. To consider, for example, nothing more than what she has done since the death of her Son and her Assumption into Heaven, who could have any idea of the number of ways in which she has affirmed Catholic doctrine and extended the boundaries of the Empire of Jesus Christ? I shall not mention now the care that she has always had of the Pastors and Prelates, who are the Fathers of the Church and upon whom depends the well being of Religion (for that will be dealt with below). I will say only in passing what St Gregory of Nyssa tells us in the life of St Gregory Thaumaturgus, namely:

One day the MOTHER OF GOD appeared to this servant of hers, and she was accompanied by Saint John the Evangelist  who was wearing pontifical vestments. She asked him to explain to his friend Gregory the mystery of the most holy Trinity. The Holy Apostle fulfilled this request in such a worthy manner that as soon as the encounter had ended, St Gregory put down in writing everything that he had just heard. By means of this, he preserved his church in Neocaesarea from error, passing on to them the belief that they were to hold in terms written in his own hand.

Accordingly, I do not find it in the least strange that St Basil[1] was so proud of imbibing with his mother’s milk, so to speak, the faith that St Macrina[2] (his grandmother and his spiritual nurse) had taught him using the words of the same St Gregory. On the contrary, I honour this with all my heart, granted that the same belief was later presented to the fifth general synod, in the form that we now have it amongst the writings of St Gregory of Neocaesarea. The benefit this brought inestimable benefits to the Church over so many centuries.

Footnotes

[1] Epist. 64, 75, 79.

[2] The French text has Marine but this appears to be a reference to St Macrina the Elder, who was a disciple of Saint Gregory the Wonderworker and grandmother of Saint Basil the Great and Gregory of Nyssa. See: St Macrina the Elder in the Catholic Encyclopedia.

The Holy Virgin’s solicitude for supplying the Church with good Preachers

 2   Who cannot fail to be aware of how important good Preachers are for extending the boundaries of the Saviour’s kingdom, for supporting the faith where it has already been established, for reigniting it where it has been extinguished, and for spreading the word where it has yet to be heard? For in the end, Faith cometh by hearing[1], reaching the ears of the faithful and of the infidels by means of Preachers. It would not take long to explain how those Preachers who came to help the Church have been so many men commissioned by the MOTHER OF GOD who, apart from disposing them to this calling, took great pains to help them with her graces as well. Here is an example of this general point : who is there who has not heard how she was the one who brought into the world the Holy Order of Friars Preachers? Who cannot be aware of how many ways she helped them at the beginning to bring forth fruit worthy of the loving womb in which they had been conceived? Here is a particular example taken from the life of St Peter of Verona, commonly known as the Martyr, who was himself of the Dominican Order:

Pope Innocent IV, who had been in the same Order, sent Peter into the region of Lombardy to defend it against an invasion of ravenous wolves – namely, various heretics who were launching their attacks upon the faith with as much cunning as violence and arrogance. He warmly commended this mission to the Queen of Heaven, for he was in no doubt that he had received this commission from her. At one point, whilst he was transported with great fervour, he heard the voice of his beloved Mother who was reassuring him in the same way that the Saviour had spoken to Peter, his patron saint, telling him:

“Peter, I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not.”[2]

In the end, Peter showed such courage in holding to his faith that he sealed it with his own blood. On the same day that he was slain by the heretics a blessed soul, who was far distant from the place of the martyrdom, saw the MOTHER OF GOD between two saints and it was revealed to him that one of these was Peter of Verona of the Order of Friars Preachers who had just shed his blood in defence of the faith. This was verified by checking the date and the time of the Holy Martyr’s death which matched the deposition written by this soul beloved of God.

Footnotes

[1] Rom. x. 17.

[2] Luke xxii. 32.

 3   It is reported in the life of St Dominic that in a Cistercian monastery situated in Tuscany (known popularly as San Galgano):

there was a brother called James who was widely reputed for his holiness on account of his childlike simplicity and his numerous virtues. He would often listen to the sermons of a Dominican preacher, deriving great pleasure and satisfaction from them. The MOTHER OF GOD decided to reward the devotion of this good hearted brother by allowing him to witness the singular favours that she would communicate to the Preacher, her servant. As a result, whilst James was listening one day to the sermon as usual, he saw the Holy Virgin holding a book open in front of the Preacher who was reading word for word what he was teaching to his listeners. He also had an experience whilst he was present during the sermon of another Dominican preacher, when he saw the Mother of gentleness standing by the side of the Preacher, and whispering in his ear what he was to say and how he was to say it during the sermon. This caused such an explosion of devotion within James towards this holy Order that he wished everyone could join it so as to help in winning souls.

It has to be admitted that not everyone merits these extraordinary graces, but I for my part have no doubt that the majority of zealous preachers are able to benefit in ways that cannot be seen from this special assistance of the most Holy Virgin. This is without doubt the belief of the Church for it was not without reason that she directed those called to such an honourable ministry should at the beginning of their sermons always implore the Queen of Heaven for her help. Through this the Church wants them to realise that, just as the Virgin is the Mother of the eternal word of God, in the same way she administers the temporal word. It is her privilege to distribute this to all those who are proclaiming the word to others, filling them with strength and zeal so that they can penetrate and melt hearts that have grown hard and set on fire minds that have grown cold.

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The Virgin of Tenderness. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen. 

 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

© Peter Bloor 2025

Part II : The Crown of Power : Chapter 7 : § 2.3-4

Chapter 7 : The Sixth Star or Splendour of the Crown of Power of the MOTHER OF GOD

She rules and guides the Church

Continuing our translation of the 1845 reprint of Fr François Poiré's Triple Crown of the Mother of God (1643 French edition).

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac.(Poggi, 2020)

§ 2. The Holy Virgin truly rules and guides the Church

 3   If this were otherwise, tell me why this same Church would have bestowed on her the glorious titles of Queen of Angels, Queen of Patriarchs, Queen of Prophets, Queen of Apostles, Queen of Martyrs, Queen of Confessors and Queen of Virgins? It would in truth serve only to diminish the Holy Virgin’s honour if we were to say that these glorious names were granted her solely inasmuch as she surpasses the Angels in purity, the Patriarchs in perseverance, the Prophets in foreknowledge, the Apostles in holiness, the Martyrs in courage, the Confessors in patience and the Virgins in chastity. Personally, I could never be persuaded that this illustrious and magnificent title of Queen refers only to the excellent status she enjoys but without any actual power or dominion. This thought would not be to the honour of either the Mother or the Son, especially since the title has been given to her as MOTHER OF GOD. 

Accordingly, let us proclaim with confidence that she is called the Queen of Angels forasmuch as she has been given full power over them, for the benefit of the children of God; she is called the Queen of Patriarchs inasmuch as in the Old Testament they were all like stepping stones leading up to her greatness, and in the New they are those whom she brings forward and guides in their duties and offices within the government of her Son’s Kingdom; she is called the Queen of Prophets, for she herself featured in what was foretold by the ancient Prophets and has served as a guide for the new; she holds the title Queen of Apostles since she was the Queen Regnant of the Sacred College and Mistress of the early Church; she has been granted the name of Queen of Martyrs, by reason of the opportunities that she gave them for shedding their blood and the courage she instilled in them to suffer even unto death; she is the Queen of Confessors in consequence of the patient forbearance she obtains for them, and the glorious way she honours their confession in practice; and she not only bears the title Queen of Virgins but its very effects are within her, and she invites them to follow her example while she watches over their chastity with a very special care.

 4   The Angel who was teaching the Blessed St Bridget told her one day it was not without reason that, after the Saviour had ascended into Heaven, the most sacred Virgin was preserved so as to remain alive for a period time in the world. The status and privileges she enjoyed meant that she had to spend some time in her role as Queen of the Apostles, Consolatrix of Martyrs, Mistress[1] of Confessors, Mirror of Virgins, Help of Widows, and Counsel of Married women: in short, as a common refuge for the entire Church, and the pillar and ground of the faith.

During the whole of the time she survived after the Ascension of her Son, said this Angel, she made a particular point of revealing to the Holy Apostles certain of the mysteries of the Incarnation, and of the Saviour's infancy and adolescence up to His coming of age. She gave encouragement to the Holy Martyrs, recalling the example that her Son had left for them, and describing how she herself had suffered with Him for the space of thirty-three years. The Holy Confessors learned from her the way they were to persevere in their abstinence, their prayers, their retreats and in their spiritual life. The Virgins were taught how to love silence, to keep the house, to be lovers of piety, and to flee from both idleness and vanity. As for the Widows, she consoled them with her tender words and even more through the example of the incredible patience she showed, not only throughout the suffering and death of her Son, but also in the opposition, the scorn and the other trials that she had to suffer.

In this we can see her as a loving Mother who carefully provides her babes and sucklings with all the things they need. So too we can say of her in all truth what is written of the valiant woman in the last chapter of the book of Proverbs, according to the Septuagint version[2]: that even if her husband is physically absent from the house, he is not anxious about what happens there, forasmuch as he understands full well that his most wise and loving Spouse will be taking good care of it and that she would not allow her servants to be wanting for anything. It is in this way that several of the Holy Fathers have understood what is written in the Gospel[3] about the Bridegroom tarrying – which they understand as referring to the time that has to elapse between the Ascension and the final judgement. During this period, His Spouse most chaste and solicitous will rule the house with a Providence altogether remarkable and with incomparable gentleness. It is truly a source of extreme happiness for the Church to have a Queen and Mother who is so wise and so tender-hearted. I trust that we shall now appreciate this better now as a result of our discussion.

Footnotes

[1] Mistress : Here perhaps in the sense of a female patron or inspirer… or a female teacher; a woman qualified to teach, or particularly accomplished in some subject.(OED)

[2] See Proverbs xxix (Septuagint).

[3] Matt. xxv. 5.

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The Virgin of Tenderness. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen. 

 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

© Peter Bloor 2025

Part II : The Crown of Power : Chapter 7 : § 2.1-2

Chapter 7 : The Sixth Star or Splendour of the Crown of Power of the MOTHER OF GOD

She rules and guides the Church

Continuing our translation of the 1845 reprint of Fr François Poiré's Triple Crown of the Mother of God (1643 French edition).

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac.(Poggi, 2020)

§ 2. The Holy Virgin truly rules and guides the Church

 1   The diligent historian of the Eastern Empire, George Codinus (who is known by some as Curopalates[1], because of his responsibilities within the Imperial Palace), describes a remarkable custom which was kept at the Court of the Emperor of Constantinople.

He says that once the table had been cleared after dinner, two Officers would enter the room whereupon the Emperor would stand on a stool which was held steady by two pages. Then he would dutifully and respectfully carry out the ceremony which I am going to describe. One of the Officers would be carrying wine in a golden cup along with a napkin; the other would have in his hand a golden plate bearing a piece of bread, which they called Panagia[2]. As soon as they appeared before him, they would bow respectfully and the Emperor would himself bow before the mysterious offering. After this, all those present would cry out with one voice: Panagia, panagia! The Officer carrying the plate would then place it in the hands of the Equerry[3] who would pass it on to the Lord Great Chamberlain, who would present it to the Emperor. Once he had reverently taken and eaten the bread and had swallowed a mouthful of wine, he would signal his permission to the Lord Chamberlain (and those accompanying him) to take their leave, wishing them long years of life, in the same way as they had for him

Various researchers have tried to find the origin of this custom and it seems to me that a modern writer[4] has had the good fortune to discover it in a work called L’Horloge des Grecs[5]. There it is written that the tradition dates from the Apostles

who after the death of the Saviour, whether eating together or alone, would always leave the place of honour empty but supplied with a pillow and a place setting, out of respect for the memory of their beloved Master, with whom they had drunk and eaten so many times. At the end of the meal, after the breaking and distribution of the bread, they would chant the following words: Glory be to Thee, O God, glory to the Father, glory to the Son, and glory to the Holy Ghost. Great is the name of the most Holy Trinity. Lord Jesus, come unto our aid. From Easter until Pentecost, however, instead of the words: Great is the name of the most Holy Trinity, they would say[6]: The Lord has risen.

Now it came to pass that all the Apostles journeyed to Jerusalem in order to be present for the funeral and procession of the glorious Virgin, their beloved Mother. On the third day after her death, having returned from Gethsemane, they were taking their meal at table together when, just as they had begun the ceremony, the Holy Virgin appeared above them, surrounded in light and glory. This caused them no less joy than astonishment, so that instead of chanting the words which would follow their customary thanksgiving, they all cried out with one voice: Panagia Deipara, adjuva nos: meaning, All holy Mother of God, come unto our aid; to which she replied, her face filled with gentleness and majesty : I am with you forever.

Most Holy Lady, with our hands joined in prayer and an open heart, we receive these thy auspicious words and we look forward in the hope of gathering fruits of wondrous sweetness from thy pleasing promise.

Footnotes

[1] Curopalates : Greek: κουροπαλάτης, from Latin: cura palatii, Byzantine official "in charge of the palace." Codinus is believed to have been active towards the end of the 15th century.

[2] Panagia : from Παναγία, the All-Holy, the Virgin Mary; holy bread (in the Eastern Church). See DMLBS.

[3] Equerry (in Fr. Écuyer): officer of the royal household, charged with the duty of occasional attendance on the sovereign.

[4] Gretser, Comment. in Codinum, c. 2. [Jacob Gretser S.J. (1562-1625) produced a version of Codinus. See footnote 5 below]. 

[5] Lit. The Clock (or “measuring the hours”) of the Greeks. Enquiries have so far failed to trace this work. A possible starting point for readers proficient in Greek and Latin may be : De officialibus palatii cpolitani et de officiis magnae ecclesiae liber, by Codinus, George, with a proemium by Jacob Gretser.

[6] Christus resurrexit (Christ has risen).

 2    Having been crowned on high Queen of Heaven and Earth, and recognised as Lady and Mistress[1] over the whole of her Son’s Kingdom, it was in truth most fitting that the Holy Virgin should have brought this good news in person to the Holy Apostles before everyone else; especially since her most venerable Son had Himself granted them the very same favour. The Evangelist St Matthew bears witness as follows[2] to the kind heart of the Saviour who, just before He ascended into Heaven, reassured them that all power in Heaven and in earth had given to Him by His Father, and promising them that He would be with them and their successors all days, even to the consummation of the world. 

In this I discern a great consolation for the children of the MOTHER OF GOD in particular and for the whole Church in general : namely, that she should have chosen to make use of the same words as her Son, and with the same meaning, promising them her help and assistance until the end of the world. She could not have done otherwise because her Son’s kingdom is her own, and they share the same subjects and the same power, even though this belongs to the Son by right of generation and to the Mother by virtue of her Son. This difference must always be recognised and yet it is nevertheless the will of the King of glory for His Mother to share absolute sovereignty over His Kingdom and over His subjects, that she should have the nomination of all its Officers, that she should watch over their behaviour and the way they carry out their duties, that she should be authorised to sign off graces and favours, to be responsible for laws and ordinances – in short : that she should as Queen and Ruler co-regnant with Him share in all His royal functions. These are the reasons which persuaded me to write that she truly rules and guides the Church, which is no less than the spiritual kingdom of the Saviour.

Footnotes

[1] Mistress: The female head of a family, household ... in conjunction with a male counterpart; e.g., (1413) She bare hyr seluen boldely, right as she were maystresse, and hadde alle the gouernement of the kyng, and his houshold. G. Deguileville, Pilgrimage of Soul.

[2] Matt. xxviii. 16-20.

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The Virgin of Tenderness. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen. 

 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

© Peter Bloor 2025

Part II : The Crown of Power : Chapter 7 : § 1.6-11

Chapter 7 : The Sixth Star or Splendour of the Crown of Power of the MOTHER OF GOD

She rules and guides the Church

Continuing our translation of the 1845 reprint of Fr François Poiré's Triple Crown of the Mother of God (1643 French edition).

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac.(Poggi, 2020)

§ 1. Spiritual King and Head of the Church : second title of the Saviour of our souls

The Height of the Temple

 6   The fifth feature is the Height of the Temple, for it was built on the summit of two high hills and that is why strangers called the God of Israel the God of the hills[1]. When the Prophet Isaiah, is contemplating the Catholic Church[2], however, He sees her located on a mountain so high that her lower slopes are higher the highest hills – showing how far she is exalted over the Synagogue, and over anything that has ever been known for its greatness or its height.

Footnotes

[1] III Book of Kings (1 Kings) xx. 28.

[2] And in the last days the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be prepared on the top of mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills, and all nations shall flow unto it. Isaiah ii. 2.

 

The Beauty of the Temple

 7   The sixth feature is its incomparable Beauty, whether considered from the outside or from within. This beauty was such as to make David sigh unceasingly for Holy Sion and all his happiness[1] was to contemplate the delightful vision of the House of God. I call it incomparable with regard to everything except that beautiful city built of gold and precious stones which St John saw[2] coming out of Heaven down to Earth; for when we come to this city, we are forced to concede that the beautiful Temple was but a prefiguration, losing its lustre and becoming almost as nothing when compared with this wonder of beauty.

Footnotes

[1] For the house which I desire to build, is great: for our God is great above all gods. II Paralipomenon (II Chronicles) ii. 5.

[2] Come, and I will shew thee the bride, the wife of the Lamb.  10 And he took me up in spirit to a great and high mountain: and he shewed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God. Apoc. xxi. 9-10 et seq.

The Riches of the Temple

 8   The seventh feature concerns the Riches which could never be imagined by anyone who has not read and weighed what is said at various places in the Sacred Scriptures. I crave your patience, however, for we shall soon discover[1] that Solomon’s gold and silver were nothing in comparison with the inexhaustible treasures of the Messiah’s spiritual kingdom.

Footnotes

[1] Chap. 10.

The Holiness of the Temple

 9   The eighth feature is its Holiness, by reason of which it is called the Holy of Holies. This name is applied not only to the Temple itself but also to the surrounding vicinity, as is explained by the Prophet Ezekiel[1]. We should note, however, that just as there is a proportion between a type and the truth it prefigures, between darkness and light, between earth and heaven, just so is there a proportion between this old Temple and the Church of God, which is a thousand times holy in the person of Him who founded it, in its Sacraments, and especially in the most holy Sacrament of the Altar, in its Ministers, in its liturgy and traditions, and in the whole Christian people – for it is the Mystical Body of the Lord.

Footnotes

[1] All its border round about is most holy: Ezech. xliii.12. The Vulgate text here has an explicit reference to the Holy of Holies : omnis finis ejus in circuitu, Sanctum sanctorum est.

The Glory of the Temple

 10   The last feature is its Glory and Renown which had spread so widely that even the Pagans, who in everything else had a very low opinion of the Jewish people, regarded this as the most wonderful building in the world. Let us listen to the Prophet Isaiah[1] who promises the new people of God that it will be the honour and wonder of ages to come; and to the prophet Aggeus[2], who proclaims that the glory of the second house, which is the Church, will be very different to that of the first, being dedicated entirely to the honour and glory of the great King Jesus, the Prince of this spiritual Realm which was established for the eternal happiness of the elect.

[1] I will make thee to be an everlasting glory, a joy unto generation and generation. Isaiah lx. 15.

[2] Who is left among you, that saw this house in its first glory? and how do you see it now? is it not in comparison to that as nothing in your eyes? Aggeus: ii. 4.

 11   The only aim of the above discussion was to explain briefly the nature of this Kingdom of which the peerless Spouse is Queen. Now it is time to consider the honour that she receives therefrom and the power that she is privileged to exercise therein, to the immense benefit of all the subjects of the Prince of Heaven and His Queen Consort. We shall be exploring this in the remainder of the Chapter.

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The Virgin of Tenderness. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen. 

 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

© Peter Bloor 2025

Part II : The Crown of Power : Chapter 7 : § 1.1-5

Chapter 7 : The Sixth Star or Splendour of the Crown of Power of the MOTHER OF GOD

She rules and guides[1] the Church

Continuing our translation of the 1845 reprint of Fr François Poiré's Triple Crown of the Mother of God (1643 French edition).

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac.(Poggi, 2020)

The Apostle St Peter could not have chosen a more fitting name than the one he bestowed upon the children of the Church when he called them the people and the kingdom of conquest[2]. If ever there were a King who acquired his kingdom through valour in battle, then truly it was the Saviour, this mighty conqueror who spared neither His blood nor His life, as we saw a little earlier. Because of this idea, I think it might be useful to deepen our understanding of His kingdom, for if a Prince of such merit purchased it at such a high price, then the kingdom must be indeed truly excellent. I am confident that we shall find great satisfaction in contemplating the Queen who helped in this conquest, playing her part alongside her Son and her Spouse ruling this kingdom.

Footnotes

[1] The French heading here describes Mary as la Gouvernante (lit. the governess). The senses may be as follows : 1. a female ruler (here a Queen co-regnant with her Son): 1548 The Lady Margaret gouernesse of Flaunders; 2. protectress: Queen of heuene... In gostly woundes be ther gouerneresse .J. Lydgate, To Mary Queen of Heaven.(OED) 3. someone who steers or guides. Etym. of govern derives from Latin gubernare, with a sense of steering a ship (cf. Ch. 6 §11.6-7 above). 

[2] But you are a chosen generation, a kingly priesthood, a holy nation, a purchased people: I Pet. ii. 9.

§ 1. Spiritual King and Head of the Church : second title of the Saviour of our souls

 1   Even though it may seem at first glance that the kingdom of Solomon (whom we have taken for one of the most illustrious types prefiguring the Saviour) was only a temporal kingdom, anyone who weighs carefully the words he speaks of himself in the book of Wisdom[1], namely that God made him sit upon the Royal Throne so as to build him a temple; anyone who gives due weight to considering how the young Prince put this forward as the most compelling reason for asking God to grant him wisdom[2]; any one reflecting upon the great peace which accompanied his reign, or the happiness which ensued, and on the unlimited riches he had at his disposition – I think such a person will find it easy to conclude that the aim or end of this kingdom was more spiritual than temporal, and that God’s plan was not confined to the summit of Mount Moriah nor even to Palestine, but that this material temple prefigured a spiritual building which is none other than the Church of the Saviour. This cannot be demonstrated more vividly than by sketching out the links and parallels between these two. There are nine features of the ancient temple of Solomon which stand out and which are found to a substantial extent in the Church of God, that is to say in the spiritual Kingdom of the Redeemer. 

Footnotes

[1] Thou hast chosen me to be king of thy people...and hast commanded me to build a temple on thy holy mount. Wisdom ix.7-8.

[2] Wisdom ix. 9-11.

The End for which the Temple was built

 2   The first is the End for which the Temple was built and this is described by Solomon himself in the second Book of Paralipomenon[1]: The house that I wish to build is not a small undertaking, since the God for whom it is planned is incomparably higher than all the other gods of the earth. Who will be the one able to construct a building worthy of his greatness? It is true that there can be no end more excellent than this, but the Church succeeds to a far higher degree and with access to more sublime means than the ancient Synagogue.

Footnotes

[1] For the house which I desire to build, is great: for our God is great above all gods. II Paralipomenon (II Chronicles) ii. 5.

The Builder of the Temple

 3   The second is the Builder, and setting aside the design itself which came from God, two peerless Princes employed all the energies and gifts that they had received from Heaven in completing this project. Whilst David put together the plans and gathered the building materials, the glory is specially reserved for his son Solomon, for reasons which are given in the second book of Kings and in the first of Paralipomenon[1]: namely, that David, being a warrior prince leading men under arms on active campaign, his duty was to bequeath a peaceful kingdom to his son rather than to reap the benefits himself of the peace that he had won. Leaving aside this matter, how can there be any comparison between David and Solomon on the one hand, and the Eternal Father with His beloved Son on the other, who are the unique founders of the Church and about whom we can say in truth with the same David, that the most High lay down the foundations thereof[2]? It is indeed true that whilst God the Father from all eternity had in mind the idea of this masterwork, nevertheless because He was the Lord God of armies[3], He was willing to cede the honour of completing this noble project to the Prince of Peace, His beloved son Jesus.

Footnotes

[1] I Paralipomenon (I Chronicles) xxii. 5-10.

[2] Ps. CI & CIII.

[3] Ps. XLV 8 &12.

The Greatness of the Temple

 4   The third feature is the greatness of the Temple by which is meant, firstly, its size. This is compared several times in Scripture to that of a city. Next comes the number and variety of the offices, corridors, courts and sections it contains; and then the great number of ministers it had, sometimes amounting to seven or eight hundred. When, however, we turn our gaze towards the Christian Church, the ancient Temple building seems to be like a little shack in comparison. The Prophet Baruch[1] understood this well when he spoke to the Church under the name of Israel, saying to her: O Israel, how great is the house of God, and how vast is the place of his possession! It is great, and hath no end: it is high and immense. Isaiah[2] contemplated it from afar and heard the children of barren Rachel, that is to say of the Church, who were complaining about how little space they had. In another place[3], he gave an early warning to the Synagogue to open up its pavilions and to lengthen the cords so as to receive the nations who were to arrive in great numbers from all the corners of the world; or as he says elsewhere[4], from the rising of the sun in the east, to the setting of the sun in the west, from the north and from the south. The Prophet Zacharias[5] saw in the same spirit a Jerusalem without walls receiving new arrivals in countless numbers, with no end in sight. St John[6] saw the Angel of God pouring his vial into the great Euphrates river to render it dry, so as to allow passage to the Kings who were to go out to conquer foreign nations. As for the number of the Saviour’s officers and ministers of the spiritual state, it is easy to see how these surpass by far the others, so that they may almost be said to equal the stars in the firmament.

Footnotes

[1] Baruch iii. 24-25.

[2] The children of thy barrenness shall still say in thy ears: The place is too strait for me, make me room to dwell in. Isaias (Isaiah)  xlix. 20.

[3] Enlarge the place of thy tent, and stretch out the skins of thy tabernacles, spare not: lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes. Isaias (Isaiah) liv. 2.

[4] Fear not, for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west. I will say to the north: Give up: and to the south. Isaias (Isaiah) xliii. 5-6.

[5] Jerusalem shall be inhabited without walls, by reason of the multitude of men, and of the beasts in the midst thereof. Zacharias (Zechariah) ii. 4.

[6] And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon that great river Euphrates; and dried up the water thereof, that a way might be prepared for the kings from the rising of the sun. Apoc. xvi. 12.

The Strength of the Temple

 5   The fourth feature is the Strength of this Temple which seems set to resist the passage of time so as to equal the duration of eternity. This is one reason why David[1] compared it to the unicorn which puts in fear all the animals of the earth. This, however, takes nothing away from the Church which is represented by: 

    • the fourth of the kingdoms referred to by Daniel[2], which was to break and overthrow all the others;

    • the rod of iron mentioned by David[3], which was to vanquish all the nations of the earth; and

    • the rock mentioned in the Gospel[4], against which the gates of Hell would be unable to prevail.

[1] And he built his sanctuary as of unicorns, in the land which he founded for ever. Ps. LXXVII 69.

[2] And the fourth kingdom shall be as iron. As iron breaketh into pieces, and subdueth all things, so shall that break and destroy all these. Dan. ii. 40.

[3] Thou shalt rule them with a rod of iron, and shalt break them in pieces like a potter's vessel. Ps, II 9.

[4] Matt. xvi. 18.

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The Virgin of Tenderness. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen. 

 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

© Peter Bloor 2025

Part II : The Crown of Power : Chapter 6 : § 11.5-7

Chapter 6 :  The Fifth Star or Splendour of the Crown of Power of the MOTHER OF GOD

She is the Mother of the world to come and Redeemer of our race

Continuing our translation of the 1845 reprint of Fr François Poiré's Triple Crown of the Mother of God (1643 French edition).

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac.(Poggi, 2020)

§ 11. The hope of recourse : the fifth fruit of mankind’s restoration by the Blessed Virgin

 5   Finally, picture to yourself the universal flood and (inasmuch as you will certainly not find anything more dreadful than this deluge which God caused to drown the world in the time of Noe) consider this as portraying in miniature the frightening face of the universe when everything in nature was changed. Look up to the angry Heavens opening their floodgates to inundate the whole of the earth; look down to see the fountains of the deep, the rivers and the seas rising on all sides, leaving their beds and bursting their banks, as if with an angry determination to swallow up in their waters all creatures, whether those who fly in the air or those who run and creep over the earth. Let it sink in, if you can, how all the animals are overwhelmed and, notwithstanding their natural instincts and abilities, are simply swallowed up in the waters. 

Consider how there is no recourse or stratagem open to men which can prevent them from drowning in the flood. Think about the shouts and screams, the dread fear and general despair felt by everyone. Then cast your eyes over a world where dead bodies are floating on the water and just as many sinking into the depths, one after another. Try to count, if you can, how many are left rotting in their houses, or on mountains where they thought to find safety; or try counting those who have become food for the fish or monstrous creatures of the sea. What on earth are we to make of all this? Does this really mean the world has come to an end, without ever being able to recover? Is this the end of the human race and of Adam’s descendants for ever? Is there nothing in the world that can save them from this universal flood, or that can at least preserve some little spark that will not be extinguished in the waters? Is there no hope whatsoever of saving the world afflicted by such a great disaster? The answer is: yes, provided only that people make use of it. 

Have you not noticed a tiny vessel in the form of an ark born along on the raging waves and which, notwithstanding the furious winds in this noisy and violent storm, is carrying its cargo to safety? This is the world’s only hope; this is what will make it possible to repopulate the universe; on this depends the happiness of the whole of Adam’s posterity. Now if you just take the time to contemplate this, then you will see in the ark a most beautiful prefigurement of the MOTHER OF GOD and of how she would bring about the salvation and restoration of the world. St Bernard speaks of this in the following terms[1]:

Noe’s ark may be interpreted as the ark of grace, namely the most excellent MOTHER OF GOD. By the former, a small group of humans escaped drowning in the floodwaters; by the latter, all men escaped from the shipwreck of sin. Noah built the ark to offer protection for himself and his family from the general inundation, Jesus Christ, our refuge and Prince of peace, made available His Mother to save her children from eternal death. Noah’s ark saved only eight people from a danger which threatened all, but our heavenly Mother has provided a place of safety for all the children of Adam. Work on the former took one hundred years, work on the latter required the completion of all the virtues, which can be represented by the number one hundred. The former was built using timbers which were planed and polished, the latter incorporates the most solid and accomplished virtues. The former was carried on the waters of the flood; the latter over every sort of sin and vice.

Footnotes

[1] Serm. 2 de Nativit.

 6   The Angel who taught the Blessed Saint Bridget elaborates these parallels as follows[1]:

A long time before he built his ark, Noah had known of the woman and what her role was to be; from all eternity, God had foreseen the role of the Virgin in particular and the good that she would bring to men. Noah took singular pleasure in preparing his ark because he knew the benefit that would come to the world; God’s pleasure was infinitely greater when He conceived the plans for Mary and later when He put them into effect. Noah took great pleasure in learning that his ark would not be damaged in any way by the waters of the flood; God’s pleasure in His work was incomparably greater because He knew full well that she would never be harmed or damaged by the salty turbulence of sin. Noah took delight in seeing how his ark was safely sealed and protected with pitch, so that nothing whatever could penetrate the ark from outside; God took even greater delight in seeing the abundance of the Holy Ghost’s unction which had been poured upon the body and the soul of the most sacred Virgin, in such a way that she could not be penetrated by any temptations to the senses or to vanity. Noah walked upon his ark, taking consolation from seeing how ample and sturdy it was for its task; God took even greater consolation when He saw the capacity of Mary’s womb and heart, sufficient for her to offer the hope of sanctuary for the whole world. Noah understood very well that he could go into the ark without damaging it, and that he would leave it as hale and hearty as when he entered it; God understood even more perfectly that just as He would take nothing away from the integrity[2] of His Mother, in the same way He would not be stained during the time of His abode in his Mother’s sacred and stainless womb.

There is only one difference between the ark and the Blessed Virgin : namely, Noah knew that after he left his ark, it would remain empty and abandoned in the mountains of Armenia, but he had no idea what would happen to it in the future; the Blessed Saviour, on the other hand, understood full well that His holy Mother would remain full of grace, overflowing with Heaven’s blessings, and that He would keep her close to Him for all eternity, a living token of all that was most precious in the world, being the honour of earth and of Heaven.

Footnotes

[1] Serm. Angelici, c. 2.

[2] integrity, in the particular sense of: The condition of not being marred or violated; unimpaired or uncorrupted condition; original perfect state; soundness; e.g., When he [Christ] was borne savyng his moders integritee [glossed hir maydenhod]. Mirour Saluacioun. c1450; OED.

 7   How grateful I am to the glorious St Epiphanius[1] who foresaw so many blessings which would come to us through the MOTHER OF GOD, even from the very name of this Virgin which can be understood as meaning Hope, since, after her Son, all hope we might have of our restoration lay in her! It is said that the ancients would give a warmer welcome to an unexpected change in fortune which followed a period of uncertainty caused by a run of bad luck, than they would to a piece of good fortune which they had been confidently expecting. In view of this, what welcome must we give to her who guided this good fortune and who steered our poor little vessel, expecting any minute to be smashed on a reef or capsized by waves, into a haven of grace and glory. In truth, this little barque will forever display high on her prow the image of the one who saved her, no more nor less than as some tutelary Deity; and she will make known her unending gratitude to the one who delivered her from the dangerous shipwreck that otherwise she would have suffered, and who brought her safe and sound to the heavenly haven. In the same way, for as long as may be found those who safely reach port, there will never be lacking those who proclaim her excellent qualities and her great attributes; in return for so many blessings, they will offer to her every ounce of gratitude they can find in their hearts, so eternally indebted will they be unto her.

Footnotes

[1] Serm. de S. Deipara.

 

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The Virgin of Tenderness. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen. 

 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

© Peter Bloor 2025